THE CONTEMPORARY HISTORY: SPAIN IN THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY
DIFFERENT SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT IN THE XX CENTURY
In the XX century in Spain we have had different systems of government:
MONARCHY This is the king Alfonso XIII (1886-1931)
REPUBLIC:
Presidents: Alcalá Zamora ( 1931-1936) and Manuel Azaña (1936-1939)
And the most famous painting
DICTATORSHIP: Franco (1939-1975)
CHARACTERISTICS OF DICTATORSHIP
THE CONSTITUTION WAS ABOLISHED
ALL POWER WAS CONCENTRATED IN ONE PERSON
POLITICAL PARTIES ANS LABOUR UNIONS WERE BANNED
THE STAUTES OF AUTONOMY WERE REVOKED
CENSORSHIP WAS PUT INTO PLACE
At first, Spain was internationally isolated. However, beggining in 1950, the economy improved and foreign relations returned to normal. As an example of it, the next video shows the first visit of Eisenhower, president of USA, to Spain.
PART TWO
AFTER THE END OF THIS FIRST PART OF THE UNIT, YOU CAN WATCH THIS SHORT SUMMARY TO REVISE...
TRANSITION AND DEMOCRACY : Suárez (1976-1981) was the new president
After the death of Franco in 1975 (click here to watch the real images), Juan Carlos I was crowned King of Spain.
The king appointed Adolfo Suárez as president.
Adolfo Suárez launched a series of reforms to prepare for the first democratic elections held in Spain since 1936. As part of this preparation, political parties and unions were legalised. If you want to watch the electoral manifesto of Adolfo Suárez for the general elections in 1977, click on HERE.
Click here to listen to the radio the day the PCE (Partido Comunista de España) was legalised. That piece of news was very important. The party that Franco had prosecuted so much was being legalised at least! That´s why the journalist who read the news had been running to read it on the radio. He was exhausted!
In 1977, representatives of the major political parties, voted by the citizens, drafted a Constitution. It was approved by Parliament and by the Spanish people in 1978.
Here you have a video about the transition to Democracy in Spain
And if you click on the photo of Adolfo Suárez you´ll see a short video about his life and death from Al Jazeera, a qatari TV.
In 1981, Adolfo Suárez resigned as President of the Government. Click here to watch the video.
23F: THE COUP
Would you like to see what happened?? You can see the real images of that day! It is amazing! We are lucky. Nothing happened in the end thanks to these brave people.
Click on the image to read the Constitution 1978
Before all this, in 1978, Spaniards voted in favour of the Constitution in a referendum (Click on the word before to watch it).
THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS
These have been the presidents of Spain since 1981 till nowadays.